The Tang Imperial Consort Yang Guifei

The beautiful woman depicted in this painting, who wears a peony blossom on her headdress, is Yang Guifei, the imperial consort of the Tang dynasty Emperor Xuanzong (reigned 712-756). It was during Xuanzong's reign that the peony became a favorite flower because it was likened and identified with the imperial favorite woman. Blessed with majestic elegance, splendor, and aristocratic associations, the peony is hailed as the "King of all Flowers." It is one of the most enduring and pervasive images in Chinese literature and art, standing firmly as the symbol of honor, wealth, and nobility.